Expense reimbursement via the NTS

The one-off reimbursement for additional expenses is intended for general costs that are not reimbursed separately. For example:

• Pyjamas, a bathrobe, or slippers for the hospital.
• Extra food in the hospital.
• A grocery or meal service when the donor is back home.
• Parking costs if the donor has to go to the hospital for an examination.
• Parking costs for a person supporting the donor.
• A thank-you gift for informal caregivers or other people supporting the donor. For example, for housework, groceries, or pet care.
• Costs of medication (such as paracetamol) or other healthcare costs under €25. Have you purchased medication or incurred additional healthcare costs of more than €25? Then look below under 'Reimbursement of additional healthcare costs'.

You do not need to send proof of payment for this. The reimbursement is a fixed amount of:

• € 381 for kidney donation
• € 425 for liver donation
• € 110 if the donation did not go ahead at the last minute

Do you need this amount quickly? Please indicate this on the application form. The NTS will then transfer the amount within 2 weeks. You can apply for any other reimbursements after this.

Travel expenses for the donation, for example to go to the hospital, are reimbursed. Do you live in the Netherlands? Then those travel expenses are reimbursed by your health insurance.

Read more: Reimbursement of medical expenses

If the donor comes from abroad

Are you coming to the Netherlands from abroad to donate? Then the recipient's insurance will pay for the travel expenses and hospital stay costs. If you incur further costs, this scheme offers the following reimbursements. These are intended only for donors from abroad.

Expenses on days outside the hospital

As a donor, you can receive a fixed allowance for the days you are required to stay in the Netherlands but are no longer in the hospital. This allowance is € 9 per day.

Hotel stays

After being discharged from the hospital, you sometimes have to stay in the Netherlands for a few more days. You can then receive a reimbursement for hotel stays. The reimbursement is for a maximum of 5 nights. The amount is a maximum of € 99 per night. You must include the hotel bill for this.

Second trip to the Netherlands

Sometimes you have to come to the Netherlands a second time before or after the operation. The recipient's insurance does not always pay for that trip. In that case, you can receive a reimbursement for travel expenses. This concerns the costs of the return trip by boat, plane, train, or bus in the lowest class. Are you coming by car or motorcycle? Then the reimbursement is equal to the cost of public transport in the lowest class.

For this, include a statement from the recipient's health insurance. It must state that the insurance does not reimburse this second trip. The donor must also include transport tickets if the trip was by public transport.

Additional reimbursement for donors from outside Europe

Do you live outside Europe? Then you can receive an additional reimbursement of € 100. Did you as a donor need new travel documents or a visa? And were the costs higher than € 100? Then you can also apply for a reimbursement for these travel documents. A proof of payment for those documents is required for this.

Often, a family member or friend supports the donor during the donation. This person may incur costs for visiting the donor in the hospital. The following reimbursements are available for this. As a donor, you can request these reimbursements for a maximum of 1 person.

Travel expenses within the Netherlands during the hospital stay

The next of kin can receive a travel expense reimbursement for the period the donor is in the hospital. The amount of the reimbursement depends on the travel distance between the hospital and the next of kin's place of residence. If the next of kin does not live in the Netherlands, the NTS looks at the travel distance between the hospital and the place in the Netherlands where the next of kin is temporarily staying.

The reimbursement is:

• € 6.50 per day for a travel distance of less than 10 km
• € 20 per day for a travel distance of 10 to 50 km
• € 32 per day for a travel distance of 50 to 100 km
• € 42 per day for a travel distance of 100 to 150 km
• € 48 per day for a travel distance of 150 km or more

This concerns the one-way distance. You do not need to send proof of payment.

Hotel stays

Does the next of kin have a long travel distance to the hospital? Then this person can stay in a hotel near the hospital. You can request a reimbursement for this:

• A reimbursement of the next of kin's hotel costs during the period the donor is in the hospital. A maximum of € 99 per night applies to this.
• A reimbursement for the travel between the hotel and the next of kin's place of residence. Does the next of kin live abroad? Then the reimbursement is for the travel between the hotel and the next of kin's temporary residence in the Netherlands. One round trip is reimbursed.

For this reimbursement, please include a hotel invoice. You do not need to send proof of payment for the travel.

Travel expenses of a next of kin living abroad

Is the donor's next of kin coming from abroad? Then, as a donor, you can request a reimbursement for:

• The costs of the trip from the next of kin's place of residence to their temporary residence in the Netherlands. This concerns the costs of the round trip by boat, plane, train, or bus in the lowest class. Is the next of kin coming by car or motorcycle? Then the reimbursement is equal to the costs of public transport in the lowest class.
• The costs of travel documents, a visa, or special travel insurance, if required.

For this reimbursement, please include proof of payment for the travel documents. Was the travel by public transport? Then you must also include the transport tickets.

In the case of living donation, most medical costs are covered by the health insurance of the recipient and the donor.

Read more: Reimbursement of medical expenses

Do you have additional medical expenses that are not covered by those insurance policies?

Then these may be eligible for reimbursement through the NTS scheme. These reimbursements are only intended for:

• Care during the preliminary examinations and the hospital admission.
• Care during the recovery period:
  • For kidney donation: up to and including 13 weeks after discharge from the hospital.
  • For liver donation: up to and including 26 weeks after discharge from the hospital.

Deductible costs

The health insurer may not charge a deductible for medical costs related to the donation. Does the health insurer do so anyway? Then you can request a reimbursement for this. Please include:

• A statement from the doctor stating that the care for the donation was medically necessary.
• A claim overview from the insurance company specifying the deductible costs.

Other medical costs

Sometimes you need additional medical care due to the donation that is not covered by health insurance. For example, from a dietician or physiotherapist. Reimbursement is also possible for this. Please include:

• A statement from the doctor stating that the care for the donation was medically necessary.
• A statement from the health insurer that these costs are not covered.

Costs for domestic help

Do you need domestic help during the recovery period? And are family members or friends unable to provide that help? Then you can sometimes receive a reimbursement for paid domestic help. This is possible in the following cases:

• You hire domestic help through an official organization. The reimbursement is then a maximum of € 300. You must include the invoices from this organization.
• You receive domestic help through the municipality. This concerns help under the Social Support Act (Wmo). You can request a reimbursement for the personal contribution for this. You must include the decision from the municipality stating the personal contribution, as well as the invoice for that personal contribution.

Please note: this reimbursement is not intended for domestic help provided by informal caregivers, such as family members, neighbors, or friends. You can, however, use the one-off reimbursement (see number 1 above) to buy them a gift.

Are you responsible for the care of a child, loved one, or pet? If so, temporary care may sometimes be needed for the period you are in the hospital. You can request reimbursement for this.

• The NTS does not reimburse costs that you would have incurred anyway. For example, does a child already go to daycare 3 days a week? Or does the dog already go with a dog-walking service every week? If so, you will not be reimbursed for those costs.
• The NTS does not reimburse care provided by informal caregivers, such as a grandfather, grandmother, or other family member. You can, however, buy them a gift using the one-off reimbursement (see number 1 above).

Childcare

You can request reimbursement for the care of children up to 18 years old. This reimbursement is for:

• Care in a daycare center or by a childminder. This childminder must be affiliated with a professional childminder agency. For this reimbursement, you must include the invoice from the daycare center or the childminder.
• Care by, for example, a neighbor, acquaintance, or other babysitter. For this reimbursement, you must include a statement from the babysitter containing: the babysitter's name, address, and signature, the period and number of hours per day that this person provided care, and the compensation.

The NTS reimburses a maximum of 12 hours of care per day. The following rates apply:

• 1 child: € 4.50 to € 6.80 per hour
• 2 children: € 6.80 to € 9.05 per hour
• 3 or more children: € 9.05 to € 11.30 per hour

Adult care

You can also request reimbursement for the care of someone over 18 years old. For example, an adult child with an intellectual disability, or a parent with dementia. Two conditions apply to this reimbursement:

• The care is necessary for medical reasons. You must include a statement from a doctor confirming this.
• The care is provided by a professional organization or a self-employed professional (zzp'er). The donor must include the invoice from this organization or self-employed professional.

Pet care

You can also request reimbursement for the care of a pet. The following conditions apply:

• The care is provided by a professional organization, such as a dog or cat kennel or a boarding stable. You must include the invoice from that organization.
• This concerns the care of a companion animal, such as a dog or cat. The reimbursement is not intended for, for example, cows or pigs on a farm.

The reimbursement for lost income is intended for self-employed professionals (freelancers) and director-major shareholders (DGAs). If you are unable to work for a while due to the donor surgery, you will lose income.

You can apply for a reimbursement if you are not voluntarily insured for sickness benefits through the UWV and you also do not have disability insurance.

Do you have disability insurance, but is the payout lower than your average income? Then you can receive a reimbursement for the difference.

Apply for the reimbursement within one year of discharge from the hospital. A condition is that the loss of income is a result of the donation.

Read more: Preservation of income and example calculation

The reimbursement for assisting partners is intended for donors who work unpaid in their partner's business. If you are unable to work for a while due to the donation, the company sometimes has to hire a replacement. That costs the company money. You can apply for this reimbursement for that.

The following conditions apply to this reimbursement:

• The donor and the owner of the company are married or registered partners. Or they have entered into a cohabitation agreement with a notary.
• The donor must submit an accountant's statement showing that he or she works unpaid in the partner's business.
• The company has hired a replacement through a temporary employment or secondment agency. You must submit the invoices stating what the replacement was hired for and for how many hours.